Boise Firm McMillen Receives National Award for Work on the Largest Dam Removal Project in History

Boise, ID—McMillen, a Boise-headquartered environmental, engineering and construction firm, has been awarded the Grand Conceptor Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) for its role in the Klamath River Renewal Project, the largest dam removal and river restoration effort in history. The project was honored at ACEC’s 59th Annual Engineering Excellence Awards Gala, a nationally juried competition recognizing exceptional engineering achievement.

The national honor recognizes McMillen’s leadership as Owner’s Representative and 
Construction Manager, highlighting the firm’s ability to deliver highly complex, 
multi-stakeholder infrastructure projects that span multiple states, regulatory jurisdictions, and 
technical disciplines. In this role, McMillen helped guide coordination among six Tribal nations, 
more than 21 agencies, and dozens of public, private, and nonprofit partners.

Led by the Hoopa, Karuk, Yurok, Shasta, Klamath, and Modoc Tribes, the Klamath River 
Renewal Project reopened more than 400 miles of historic habitat, restored natural river function, 
and reconnected a river system that had been blocked for over a century. Within months of final 
dam removal, salmon and lamprey returned to upstream reaches not accessed for generations, 
signaling rapid ecological recovery and long‑term benefits for Tribal Nations and communities 
across Oregon and California.

The ACEC Grand Conceptor Award reflects national recognition of both the project’s 
transformative impact and McMillen’s collaborative, people-centered approach to engineering 
and construction. McMillen is honored to have supported a Tribal-led vision that is reconnecting 
communities, restoring ecosystems and setting a new standard for large-scale river restoration.
McMillen is a full-service engineering, environmental, and construction firm shaping the future 
of water resources. The firm serves the dam, energy, fisheries, natural resources, and 
infrastructure markets across North America, Europe, and beyond. Its work spans every project 
phase, from feasibility and permitting through design, construction, and commissioning, with a 
focus on technical precision and real-world performance.

Learn more about the award‑winning Klamath River Renewal Project and McMillen’s role at
www.mcmillen.com/projects/klamath-river-renewal-program.

Watch the project overview video from the ACEC Awards Gala on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIoW7c7C8no###.

---